Judy Koehler

Judy Koehler (born September 20, 1941) is a former Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives and Illinois Appellate Court Justice.

Judy Koehler
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
from the 89th district
In office
January 1983 – January 1987
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byJay Ackerman
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
from the 45th district
In office
January 1981 – January 1983
Preceded byDonald Anderson
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born (1941-09-20) September 20, 1941
Lima, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationStephens College
Western Illinois University (BS)
Loyola University, Chicago (JD)

Koehler was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1980,[1] defeating incumbent Representative Donald Anderson in the Republican primary.[2] Koehler received the most votes in the primary, in which the two candidates receiving the most votes were nominated.[3] Koehler also received the most votes in the general election, in which the three candidates receiving the most votes were elected.[4]

Koehler first represented the 45th district,[5] but after the Cutback Amendment was redistricted into the 89th district with fellow incumbent Republican Representative John "Jay" Ackerman. The 89th district included all or parts of Marshall, McLean, Stark, Tazewell, and Woodford counties in north-central Illinois.[6] Koehler defeated Ackerman by a wide margin.[7][1] In the general election, Koehler defeated Democrat Mike McNally by more than a 3 to 1 margin.[8][9] Koehler was unopposed in the 1984 general election.[10] Koehler served as Representative for the 89th district until 1987.[11] Koehler's district was based in north-central Illinois.[12]

Koehler opposed the $8,000 a year pay raise that the legislature voted to give itself in a lame-duck session in 1978, and returned $8,000 of her pay to the state treasury every year she was in office, returning a total of $48,000 over her 6 years in office.[3][13][14]

In 1986, Koehler ran for the United States Senate.[12] Koehler defeated Inland Steel executive George Ranney in the Republican primary,[15][16] but was unable to oust incumbent Alan Dixon in the general election.[11] She was succeeded in the Illinois House of Representatives by John "Jay" Ackerman, who she had defeated in the 1982 Republican primary for the seat.[17]

A graduate of Loyola University Chicago School of Law,[18] Koehler served as an assistant DuPage County state's attorney.[19]

In 1994, Koehler ran for U.S. Congress in Illinois's 18th congressional district to replace the retiring Republican Robert H. Michel. Koehler lost in the primary to Michel's Chief of Staff and endorsed successor Ray LaHood.[20][21]

Following her run for Congress, Koehler became senior legislative counsel of Americans United for Life.[22]

In May 1998, Judy Koehler was appointed to the Illinois Appellate Court by Illinois Supreme Court Justice James Heiple, to fill the vacancy of Michael McCuskey, who had become a federal judge.[23] Koehler narrowly lost in her bid for election to the 3rd district Appellate Court Seat in 2000 to Democrat Mary McDade.[24]

Electoral History
  • Illinois House of Representatives District 45 Republican primary, 1980[3]
  • Illinois House of Representatives District 45 election, 1980[4]
    • Judy Koehler (R), 92,386, 36%
    • John "Jay" Ackerman (R), 77,403, 30%
    • Joe Ozella, Jr. (D), 51,823, 20%
    • Bernice Jackson (D), 36,946, 14%
  • Illinois House of Representatives District 89 Republican primary, 1982[7]
    • Judy Koehler, 9,561, 72%
    • John "Jay" Ackerman, 3,642, 28%
  • Illinois House of Representatives District 89 election, 1982[9]
    • Judy Koehler (R), 25,393, 76%
    • Mike McNally (D), 8,105, 24%
  • Illinois House of Representatives District 89 election, 1984[10]
    • Judy Koehler (R), 127,475, 100%
  • Republican primary for United States Senate in Illinois, 1986[25]
    • Judy Koehler, 266,214, 55%
    • George Ranney, 217,720, 45%
  • United States Senate election in Illinois, 1986[26]
    • Alan Dixon (D), 2,033,783, 65%
    • Judy Koehler (R), 1,053,734, 34%
  • Illinois's 18th congressional district Republican primary, 1994[27]
    • Ray LaHood, 33,956, 50%
    • Judy Koehler, 26,809, 40%
    • Dennis Lee Higgins, 6,959, 10%
  • 3rd District Appellate Court Republican primary, 2000[28]
    • Judy Koehler, 34,945, 34%
    • Karen L. Kendall, 33,981, 33%
    • Michael L. Closen, 33,981, 33%
  • 3rd District Appellate Court election, 2000[24]
    • Mary McDade (D), 318,151, 51%
    • Judy Koehler (R), 301,751, 49%

References
  1. "State Representative Judy Koehler", Carnegie Mellon University Libraries Digital Collections Portal. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  2. "Voters Hand Defeat to Thompson, Incumbents", United Press International, The Daily Chronicle, March 19, 1980. p. 19.
  3. "Upsets scored on both sides in state Legislature bids", The Pantagraph October 17, 1980. p. A5.
  4. "State Representative", The Pantagraph November 6, 1980. p. A2.
  5. "State Home Economists to Meet", The Pantagraph October 17, 1982. p. D4.
  6. Illinois Blue Book 1987-1988 page 59
  7. "Koehler wins 89th", The Pantagraph, March 17, 1982. p. A2.
  8. "Democrat opens bid to unseat Koehler", The Pantagraph, September 4, 1982. p. A2.
  9. "Election 82", The Pantagraph, November 3, 1982. p. A4.
  10. "Election 84", The Pantagraph, November 8, 1984. p. A4.
  11. "Democratic Senate Will Temper Reagan, Dixon Predicts", The Pantagraph, November 7, 1986. p. A2.
  12. "Concluding House Choices", Chicago Tribune, March 06, 1986. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  13. Elger, Daniel & Franklin, Tim. "State House Shies Away From Higher Pay", Chicago Tribune, June 27, 1986. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  14. Franklin, Tim. "Legislators Near Showdown On Padding Their Paydays", Chicago Tribune, April 28, 1986. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  15. Sanders, Ty. "Koehler Rails Against Opponents at Fund-raiser", The Pantagraph, January 23, 1986. p. A5.
  16. Sweet, Lynn, "Left to Chance: Republicans won’t get a double punch at the top of the ticket in November", NPR Illinois 91.9 UIS, January 1, 2002. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  17. Illinois Blue Book 1987-1988 page 108
  18. Ricahrdson, Scott. "Voters to fill Heiple's state Supreme Court seat", The Pantagraph, October 30, 2000.
  19. "GOP House Leader Rep. Michel To Retire", Chicago Tribune, October 05, 1993. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  20. Scobell, Beverley (April 1994). "Election Names". Illinois Issues. Archived from the original on May 19, 2006. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  21. Gizzi, John. "Gizzi on Politics: August 13-17", Human Events, August 13, 2007. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  22. "Supreme Court Gives, Takes In Abortion Cases", Chicago Tribune, June 17, 1997. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  23. "Former lawmaker now on the bench", Illinois Issues, July/August 1998. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  24. Election Results: General Election - 11/7/2000, Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  25. Green, Paul M. "Party politics in Illinois: Republicans v. Democrats et al.", Illinois Issues, August & September 1986. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  26. Federal Elections 86, Federal Election Commission, May 1987. p. 4. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  27. Federal Elections 94, Federal Election Commission, March 1995. p. 64. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  28. Election Results: General Primary - 3/21/2000, Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Dave O'Neal		 Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Illinois
(Class 3)
1986		 Succeeded by
Richard Williamson
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